These Are The Most Beautiful Aerial Images From Around The World…

Our planet is a beautiful place… but with the stresses of modern life it can be easy to forget. These images from around the world, all taken from the air, will take your breath away, and more importantly, remind you just how magical Earth really is.

Image source: Marama/Dronestagram

This aerial photo showing an enviable ‘lost island’ in French Polynesia was taken by Marama Photo Video and won 3rd prize in the Nature category in the Dronestagram photo contest.

Image source: George Steinmetz

This incredible photo was snapped by photographer George Steinmetz. He takes stunning views of New York City from the air, capturing iconic landmarks such as Times Square as well as more obscure and less photographed places. His images have featured in various exhibitions in the last few years and he has even published a book – ‘New York Air’ that couples his jaw-dropping photos with facts about the area and historical context.

Image source: RICARDO MATIELLO/DRONESTAGRAM

This stunning photo was taken by Ricardo Matiello last year and shows the city of Maringá in Brazil shrouded in mist. It won first prize in the 2015 Drone Photography contest. Ricardo said he got the idea for the prize-winning piece after seeing a photo taken from an airplane that showed the “center of a city surrounded by a heavy fog exposing only the tops of buildings”. He went on to say “Since that day, I had the desire to take a picture like that; but only of my town.”

Image source: Alex MacLean Beetles+Huxley

This incredible image was taken by plane back in 1990. It shows a number of floating ‘daisy docks’ in Chicago, Illinois. It was taken by Alex MacLean, an American photographer who is best-known for his beautiful aerial images such as this one. He has published 10 books and won numerous photography awards.

Image source: Wanaiifilms

This incredible photo was snapped by the photographer known as Wanaiifilms using a GoPro camera and was taken in the Mont Saint Michel in the Normandy region of France. The photographer says he lives close to the landmark and describes it as a ‘magical place’, especially during the winter. He explained that after getting the permit for the stunt, he made his way to the site at 5am and when conditions were perfect, released the drone and took this whimsical-looking shot.

Image source: TAHITIFLYSHOOT/DRONESTAGRAM

This stunning snap was taken in French Polynesia by Tim McKenna in conjunction with Tahiti Fly Shoot. They explained that the picture was the result of a lot of preparation, and with conditions finally being perfect on this particular day they set off to capture it, and were very lucky that some local sharks decided to come along to be part of it!

Image source: Jason Hawkes/www.jasonhawkes.com

Photographer Jason Hawkes is one of the best-known aerial photographers – his first book, London from the Air, was published when he was just 23 and has sold over 160,000 copies. He has since released 40 more books, and has taken aerial photos all around the world, though London remains his favourite city to shoot, saying to IB Times – “Each time I fly over London I notice the landscape constantly changing, new developments seem to appear overnight.”